For my latest tasting I review 2014 Barolo Bussia from the highly regarded Poderi Aldo Conterno. The wine should be mature after 12 years in bottle but 2014 was a tricky vintage for this region and the estate reacted by using longer macerations than usual. The resulting wine is structured and impenetrable and may need longer in bottle.
N.B. The wine did open up a little when I tried it again 12 hours later, it had lost some harshness and showed more ripe red fruit. However, it still didn’t achieve enchanting perfumes though and I think, though it will continue to evolve the 2014 will always be more brooding and structured.
Aldo Conterno was the second son of Giacomao Conterno. Aldo founded his own estate in 1969 when he bought the Favot estate with its extensive holdings in the Bussia Cru. For the previous eight years, he had managed Giacomo Conterno with his elder brother Giovanni, but left to make wines in a less resolutely traditionalist environment. Aldo Conterno was regarded by many as the greatest of all Barolo winemakers. Aldo was viewed as a Barolo modernist, and this was often stated in comparison with his brother Giovanni running the staunchly old-school family estate. Winemaking at Podere Aldo Conterno combines the modern and traditional. Making Barolos aged at length in large Slavonian oak casks but with French oak barriques also used in the range. Reducing maceration times and giving the wines long ageing prior top release.
Aldo died in 2012 and the estate is now being run by his three sons: Franco, Stefano and Giacomo.
The vineyard holdings total around 25 hectares (62 acres) and are mostly situated on south- and southwest-facing slopes with chalky-clay soils. Planted about 400 meters above sea level. Cru Barolos are made from the Romirasco, Cicala and Colonello plots within the Bussia vineyard, while the Granbussia Riserva is sourced from the oldest vines in all three plots and only made in the very best vintages. The Barolo Bussia cuvée is the junior Barolo made from younger plots (15-20 years old – Outside the three crus?), while Il Favot is made from the youngest vines in the estate and is made as a Langhe Nebbiolo. The estate also makes a Barbera d’Alba, a Langhe red and a barrel-fermented Chardonnay.
The estate converted their vineyards to organic and sustainable cultivation in the early 2000s. Practices: include farming with minimal chemical intervention, often allowing only copper sulphate and sulfur in the vineyard. They do not appear to be certified for this
Yields are kept low to maintain high quality, the estate practices rigorous “green harvesting” to keep yields very low, often yielding just 15-25 hl per hectare. Total production is up to 150,000 bottles a year.
To find out more about this wine, its price and where to purchase it follow this link to the Wine-Searcher website: https://www.wine-searcher.com/find/podere+aldo+conterno+bussia+docg+barolo+piemonte+italy/2014?referring_site=DCA
▶️ CHAPTERS:
0:00 Poderi Aldo Conterno Barolo Bussia DOCG 2014 wine label
0:22 Background and history of Poderi Aldo Conterno
0:37 About Aldo Conterno
0:47 Buys Favot estate
0:57 With his brother ran Giacomo Conterno estate
1:09 Regarded as one of Barolo’s leading winemakers
1:17 Viewed as a modernist
1:27 Aldo believed in ageing Barolo in large oak Botti
1:43 Shortened maceration times
2:08 Aldo’s sons took over the estate on his passing in 2012
2:26 Size, aspect, soils and altitude of the estate
2:38 Range of wines produced
3:25 Practice organic and sustainable viticulture
3:48 Green harvesting to ensure low yields
4:00 Annual production
4:10 2014 vintage in Barolo
6:02 100% Nebbiolo from 2 clones Michet and Lampia
6:33 WINEMAKING – hand-harvested in mid-October with a high degree of selection
6:43 Vinification in stainless-steel tanks with a peak temperature of 32 degrees C
6:53 Longer maceration to compensate for the frailty of the vintage
7:13 Maturation in seasoned oak Botti
7:48 TASTING – Appearance
8:24 Aromas
9:05 Palate
10:46 Ability to age
10:58 Conclusions
11:05 Score
11:28 Link to Wine-Searcher for pricing
11:37 Closing remarks, thanks and sign-off
▶️ Follow this link to watch a tasting video of another Italian wine Alta Mora Etna Rosso DOC 2020: https://youtu.be/vy0ndxyGj6g
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